Sustainable Development Education and Awareness, Business Management Training, and Grassroots Development in North INDIA

REstore

REstore is a multi-faceted, multi-functional project that combines the areas of microfinance, recycling and handicrafts, community outreach and ecologically friendly household cleaning and toiletry products. This project is individually unique in that the end result is the compilation of inputs, projects and involvement by every EduCARE India Program: ConservEN, MicroempowerED, RuralHealthCare, Young Women's IDEA and Education. An intern involved in this project, then, is focused primarily on the three pillars of sustainable development: social and economic advancement and environmental conservation. The REstore project, which when implemented takes place in a specified office/shop location, has three goals:

1. To empower the local community to make informed decisions about what types of products they produce, purchase and consume; the waste they create in conjunction with modern consumption habits; and the facilities and buildings that they construct in regards to material, method and energy. Some examples of what REstore promotes are: solar energy products, bio-gas plants, organic farming methods, natural cleaning products and rural waste management processes
2. To be a platform or resource for self-help groups, women's collectives and marginalized community groups who are working with EduCARE and ConservEN interns on entrepreneurial projects as a way to supplement their family income. Some of these products currently in production are: handicraft jewelry, handbags and mats from recycled plastics, knitted clothing, and artwork.
3. To be a gathering point for interns, local volunteers, community members and outside members (such as tourists) to either give or attend seminars and education workshops related to the field of sustainable development, the sharing of traditional knowledge, the implementation of renewable energy sources, etc.

Over the past few months our REstore project has really taken off! We have secured two office locations, one in Naddi (Himachal Pradesh) and the other in Janauri. The Naddi location will having its grand opening in the month of May, and the Janauri will hopefully be ready to open in June. We need interns to come to research, develop and implement new sustainable entrepreneurial schemes, help with continuity of current restore activities and projects, contribute to workshops and seminars and help develop a business scheme that will take REstore into the future.

Please follow our BLOG for details on all projects from current interns. Also, we constantly update our Facebook Page with photos and milestones for all projects! Our website is being update, but you can visit our affiliate website Educare India.

Project Manager:

Reports to: Program Coordinator

Timeframe: 6-12 months

Age Restrictions: 18 to 35 years of age

Tasks and responsibilities:

The Project Manager's role is to innovate and manage one or more projects within the areas listed above, with the support of Project Assistant Managers, at a specified cluster location within one of the three EduCARE India centres: Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan. They work closely with the Program Coordinator to implement on-ground projects and manage them daily, monitor and evaluate these projects and their resource needs on a weekly and monthly basis, and update the project manuals, with the assistance of the Project Assistant Manager. Additionally, the Project Manager should reach out to their community and create/maintain communication and collaboration with the local people for their education and empowerment.

Project Management:

• Research and initiate new projects
• Manage existing projects within the assigned program cluster
• Monitor, evaluate and report on the project activities to the Program Coordinator
• Liaise with the Program Coordinator to acquire material and non material resources
• Create and update project manuals regularly
• Create long term, medium term and short term plans with the support of the Program Coordinator
• Organize and chair the project committee meetings
• Coordinate and support Cluster Coordinator in cluster events

Communications:

• Liaise between Project Assistant Managers and Program Coordinators
• Help manage the feedback, concerns, and needs of the Project Assistant Managers within their projects.
• Create blog posts related to their projects regularly.
• Liaise with people from the local community, fostering good relations.

Assistant Project Manager:

Reports to: Project Manager.

Timeframe: 3-6 months

The Project Assistant Manager works on one or more ConservEN projects. They will be assigned to one specific office location within the three program centres: Himachal Pradesh, Punjab or Rajasthan. The Project Assistant Manager works closely with the Project Manager, who will provide guidance and direction and resource needs. They will also work with the Program Coordinator to ensure that their projects fit with the overall aim, mission and values of the organization.

Together with the Sustainability Project Manager, the Sustainablity Project Assistant Managers form a team to assure the continuity and quality of one of the Environmental Projects. This job role will put you in the center of the work field and you will be in close contact with the local community. Being involved in the social projects run by the VIKAS Centres will provide you with invaluable work experience in development and let you experience Indian culture first hand.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Assist the Project Manager in the daily on ground tasks related to their projects
• Monitor, evaluate and report on the project activities to the Project Manager
• Inform the Project Manager about any human resource, financial and material needs.
• Management of Project Manuals and other project documents
• Liaise with people from the local community, fostering good relations.

Benefits

Free on-site accommodation is provided. Free access to Internet is provided in the various centers and some houses. Additionally, work-related transportation and phone expenses (partially) are provided for by the organisation.

Also, an incremental additional living stipdend is available for internships after 6 months.

*Fee: Please note that in order to cover legal costs, there is a one-time internship placement fee of US $460. For long term interns this fee is partially to fully reimbursed! (6 to 12 months)